FEBC Radio — a vital continuing ministry

by Tony Lambert

FEBC (Far East Broadcasting Company) continues to play a vital role in evangelism and discipleship ministries in China. In the dark days of the Cultural Revolution for a ten-year period 1969-1978, FEBC received only 177 letters from listeners in Mainland China — an average of 18 per year. However, in early 1979 China initiated its new “open-door” policy under Deng Xiaoping and in that year alone suddenly more than 10,000 letters flooded in! Since then more than 10,000 letters, faxes and e-mails have been received from China every year. Today FEBC receives more than 84,000 letters, faxes, telephone calls and e-mails from its worldwide listening audience every month! Pray for the staff engaged in vital follow-up work.

LETTERS FROM CHINA

FROM ANHUI

“Having gone through so many years of political education, materialism is deep in my soul. But I still respect my mother’s faith and that of many Christians. Faith is their spiritual support. Sometimes they feel much more happy in their spirit than we ordinary souls. I completely respect the Bible’s teaching on doing good and patience. I am very unhappy with the evil trends in society. I would like to do my bit as a Christian like my mother.”

FROM HEILONGJIANG

“I am 25. I was elected by God and became a Christian 13 years ago. I am a single woman. I have a fairly easy job so can spend time in fellowship with other Christians. Since I believed, I vowed to God I would dedicate my life to Him. When I was at the end of my tether, the Lord had mercy on me. Every time I am moved by the grace of God I feel so unworthy and weep, I am so grateful to Him. Praise God He granted a repentant heart and the gift of His forgiveness to such a sinner as me. It was the Holy Spirit who renewed my heart and led me home. It was the Holy Spirit who opened my eyes to become acquainted with this holy God. Ah! Holy Lord, you holy and righteous King, only You are to be loved in all the earth. Although we live far away from our real home, you have prepared for us an even better Home. May we receive your loving care so we will not be defiled. Before you welcome us there, may we be instant in prayer and make progress in Your love. May we know that both joy and spiritual dryness are allowed by His unfathomable wisdom. His wise plans are not always what we would like, but are signs of His love for us and for our testing. How patiently He refines us step by step. He knows our sinful nature and uses His truth to teach us.”

FROM HENAN

“Our church has a young people’s fellowship for teenagers and twenty-year-olds. Praise God, since it started with two members in 1998, it has grown to several dozen! Now many more lost souls are being gathered in! They join us and become children of God! I know that being a Christian is not just repenting in one’s heart but there must also be change in one’s conduct, speech and life. Even if we suffer for the Lord, we are blessed! No one has suffered more than our Lord in His sufferings for us.”

FROM HUBEI

“Our church in Hubei was set up in late 1996 as a house church with only one hundred people. But as the number of converts grew, in November 1998 we asked for government permission to build a new church. Now we have a church of 260, but the caliber of members is low. We spent 40,000 RMB on building the church and still owe 8,000. I am aged 73 and have little preaching experience. If a church has nobody able to preach then it cannot flourish. When I mount the pulpit, I must preach the truth of the Bible. If there are no good shepherds then the church will grow cold. Please help us by sending good commentaries and sermon outlines.”

FROM JIANGSU

“I encourage all the brothers and sisters at our church to listen to FEBC gospel radio. I pass out to them the timetable of programs you send me. The vast majority listen to FEBC. On Wednesdays we have our prayer and fellowship meeting. I encourage them to become prayer warriors for China — to pray for world peace — to pray for China’s prosperity — to pray for our national leaders — to pray for local government officials — and to pray for all the Christian workers at FEBC. I also give out some of the Christian booklets you sent me. This has drawn many people to attend our prayer meeting who used to not come. Previously our sermons were very dry, but now, thank God, they are like spiritual manna thanks to the materials you send.”

FROM SHANDONG

“My name is Wang. Our church was set up only recently. Most of the people are uneducated. We desperately need preachers. I have been a Christian for only two years but I am a high-school graduate and studied music for two years. So I had very good prospects, but as I know little about the Bible I feel very weak. I lead the choir and also preach. Praise God for electing such a sinner as I! Recently I have been listening to FEBC’s gospel radio every evening but the signal is weak as we are very isolated here.”

FROM XINJIANG

“We live in a mountainous area controlled by the army. Christianity is virtually outlawed; even two or three people are forbidden to meet together. So brothers and sisters have to meet very secretly to worship. I happened to get a tape giving an overview of the Old Testament which has been a great help. I have copied it for others. I have very few opportunities to read Christian books. As I said, we are under close surveillance here, so I had to post this letter when I went to Urumqi.”

FROM ZHEJIANG

“I am learning to serve God in our church. In 1998 we set up a youth fellowship. Praise God He set us apart from this sinful world so we did not spend all our time on the dance floor or playing computer games. Many of the brothers are very keen. Every time we meet the Holy Spirit is powerfully at work. We are filled with joy. Many of our young people are making real spiritual progress. The church leaders are very happy, too. But the temptations of this world are very great especially in this region of economic growth. It is not easy for young people to stand firm. So we are praying fervently.”

Copyright OMF International